Quinnipiac Men’s Soccer Looking to Rebound After Disappointing 2021 Campaign
August 25, 2022
The Quinnipiac men’s soccer team missed the postseason last year for the first time since 2014, but that’s not stopping the Bobcats from having lofty goals for the 2022 campaign.
Bobcats’ head coach Eric Da Costa’s objectives for this season are pretty simple.
“Compete in the league and win a conference championship,” said Da Costa in the program’s pre-season press conference.
To accomplish that goal, Quinnipiac is bringing in ten new Bobcats, some from across the globe. As a result, the Bobcats will need to build family-like chemistry in the first few months of the season to succeed on the field.
“Diversity is important for our culture,” said Da Costa. “Soccer is a universal language, and it becomes more about instinct and passion once the ball gets rolling.”
Da Costa noted that injuries did affect the team’s ability to compete last season, and there are some essential lessons they can take from the disappointing season.
“We don’t shy away from our failures… It’s not about failing, it’s about how you respond to that failure,” said Da Costa.
Looking forward to this season, Quinnipiac will open the season on Aug. 25 against Boston College. Da Costa says the team can use the season-opener as a “barometer” to determine where the team stands, especially against an ACC opponent. After Boston College, Quinnipiac begins a month-long non-conference schedule that includes visits to Harvard, Northeastern, and Vermont while hosting Hartford, Sacred Hart, and Central Connecticut State.
The Bobcats kick off conference play on Sept. 28 when they visit Siena. Quinnipiac will host Marist, who won the conference in 2021, in a marquee matchup on Oct. 5 before heading to Rider the next week, who lost to Marist in the championship game.
While it’s exciting to look at the schedule and circle teams they’re excited to play, Da Costa is only circling one game on his calendar, the MAAC Championship on Nov. 9. Da Costa’s players share the same sentiment. According to Senior Forward David Bercedo, the plan for this year’s team is clear, “win, win and win.” The players and coaches are all saying the right things, now it’s time to see if they can back it up and return to the postseason in 2022.
